


Squeeze Water from Stone

by devilinthedetails



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Gen, Mage Licensing, Political Discontent, Political Unrest, Politics, Revolt, Taxes, Uprising
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 17:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16433813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Roger and Jessamine devise the hidden tax of a mage license.





	Squeeze Water from Stone

Squeeze Water from Stone

“We desperately need more money,” Roger told his wife grimly as they stared out over the Olorun from a gilded balcony at sunset. “Yet I fear the nobles will revolt if we increase their taxes again. Perhaps we must raise taxes on the peasantry.” 

“The peasantry have been bled dry by the famine.” Jessamine shook her head, her black curls shadowing her face. “You can’t squeeze water from stone, darling.” 

“No.” Roger mulled over her words. Something in her phrasing made inspiration strike like lightning, shattering his gloom. “I can’t squeeze water from stone, but there is a class of people who can, a class of people who flaunt powers that go utterly untaxed.” 

“Mages haven’t been taxed in Tortall since the Thanic Empire fell,” Jessamine reminded him, and, as ever, he admired how astute she was politically. “The belief is that their magical service is the tax they pay to the realm.” 

“Their magic is unmonitored and that makes it dangerous to everyone from commoners to royalty.” Roger stroked on his beard as she formulated a hidden tax on mages. “Of course, they should be required to acquire a license that would entail a reasonable clerical fee to certify their ability to practice magic safely. Any mage caught practicing magic without such a license would naturally be fined a hefty sum for violating the law and imperiling the populace.” 

“A tax similar to that levied on merchants and craftsmen.” Jessamine smiled slightly as the dying sun danced orange in the Olorun. “I like it, but I guarantee the mages will hate it.” 

“It wouldn’t be a tax if they didn’t hate it.” Roger cracked a crooked grin, thinking that to stay sane a king had to joke about the resentment his policies inevitably created.


End file.
